


stand tall

by littlelooneyluna



Category: robron
Genre: Angst, Future Fic, M/M, i am really liking writing teen seb angst fics!, teen!Seb
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-31
Updated: 2018-08-31
Packaged: 2019-07-05 00:15:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15852351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlelooneyluna/pseuds/littlelooneyluna
Summary: Seb’s standing by the door holding his nose and he’s also got a black eye which makes him look even more harrowing to his little sister. Robert stills, his eyes widening as he tries to not panic in front of his five year old and make her even worse.





	stand tall

He comes home with a bloody nose and Annie jumps straight to the conclusion that her brother is dying.

Robert hears her scream as he turns around, trying his best to keep an eye on the way the pasta is going to be boiling over any second now.

“Annie, what’s —“

And he sees, Seb’s standing by the door holding his nose and he’s also got a black eye which makes him look even more harrowing to his little sister. Robert stills, his eyes widening as he tries to not panic in front of his five year old and make her even worse.

“ _Seb_.” Robert says, tea towel forgotten now as he skirts across the kitchen and meets Seb in the living room. He’s still got his school uniform on, hair thrown across his face which is pale and distracted. Robert watches as his son tries to move past him and instead of causing a scene, Robert turns around to Annie. “Go annoy Jake for a second yeah? Seb’s fine.”

She goes, slowly, her little yellow dress swishing as she climbs the stairs. Seb is looking towards the ground by the time Robert turns towards him again. 

“Are you going to tell me what that was about?” He points to his son’s face, it looks like it’s getting bloody worse as he stands here staring at it and Robert’s heart thuds in his chest. 

Seb’s not like this. Seb’s the one who has his head in a book, likes swimming and taking his brother and sister to the swings and pretending he can still fit in them. Seb’s not —

“It’s nothing.” He has the audacity to shrug like it really is just a scratch. 

“ _Nothing_?” Robert snaps, leans further towards Seb and holds his arm. “Did someone do this to ya?”

Seb looks up again, and this time his eyes are filled with tears but he doesn’t say anything. Instead he pushes Robert’s arm away and heads towards the stairs.

“Just — talk to me. You know we can sort it out if you let me know what’s happened.” The dad voice is out to play and Seb’s heard it before, he usually reacts to it but now he just sighs. “Me and your dad will —“

“Don’t tell dad.” Seb says hastily. “Or — or uncle Cain.”

Robert scoffs. “I’m sure Aaron will see your face when he comes home.” He points and Seb cowers and Robert sighs. 

“Just leave me alone okay, please.”

Robert watches him go, his heart still thudding like mad in his chest and the water well and truly boiling over the pot.

::

Aaron balls his fists as soon as he sees Seb’s face. It’s almost like it’s an instinct for him, his eyes darken as well and his chest puffs out like he’s about to do something stupid.

The shopping bags are scattered around on the floor, Robert sees a cucumber and some potatoes spilling out across the floor as Aaron seethes.

“Who did that?” Aaron’s saying, pushing his way through Robert who’s going for the ‘give him space, he’ll come to us when he’s ready’ idea. 

Aaron clearly lacks the patience because he’s not caring about the way he pushed open Seb’s door and is now just staring him down the boy on his bed holding his guitar and strumming slowly. 

“Oi!” Aaron shouts, yanks the guitar out of his hand and he’s panting shakily now as Seb scowls at him. “You got in a fight? Is that it?”

Robert holds back, knows that Aaron is petrified for Seb and that’s why he’s acting the way he is but still, he needs to chill the fuck out if they’re going to get anywhere.

Seb gulps. His eyes are hard now, he looks exactly like Robert with all his freckles and green eyes and the way he tries to hide how he feels.

“ _Seb_.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Seb says, face down now and he’s playing with his hands. Aaron looks down, sees a cut on his knuckles and looks at Robert.

“Mate, you can talk to us about anything.” Robert decides to be the good cop, which is very strange and hardly ever works out but Aaron looks too angry to even  _try_ to speak softly. “If someone’s —“

“Is this about us?” Aaron guesses, granted he didn’t expect him to be beaten up for having two dads, but he expected something. Seb never really complained all that much about teasing, but maybe since a parents evening things have got worse. Maybe Robert was too handsy and kids saw and now Seb’s baring the brunt of it.

Seb blinks out an answer, he doesn’t say anything but Aaron falls down to his knees and leans over the bed.

“They beat you up for it?” Aaron says, and Seb goes to speak but Aaron stops him. “Next time you fight back, you’re too nice for your own good sometimes kid.” He says easily.

“Aaron. I don’t think that’s — he could always tell the teacher.”

Robert arches an eyebrow and Aaron gulps hard before nodding his head.

“Yeah. That’s probably better.”

“Is that what you’d do?” Seb says, voice softer, quieter now as he looks right at Aaron. 

“Well no, I’d probably get sent home for puttin’ his head in the toilet but —“

“ _But_ that wouldn’t do any good would it?” Robert says, a hand falling over Seb’s shoulder. “Hey, look at me.” He says and Seb reluctantly gazes up. “You want me to speak to your form tutor, organise a meeting or something?”

Aaron shakes his head and clears his throat at Robert like he knows it’s not for the best. Seb’s face confirms it and he slides his hand away.

“Alright. But I don’t want to see you coming home like that again okay? You tell the teacher next time.”

“Be a grass more like.” 

Bloody Dingles. 

Aaron sighs heavily, “Stop listening to the family, think about what Vic or Diane would sensibly decide alright?” In other words, be a Sugden when it comes to this.

Seb almost gives him a smile and Aaron’s shoulders relax a little.

::

“He’ll be good right?” Robert says, hours later, Jacob’s decided that he wants to stay up on a school night to watch The Incredibles and Aaron’s spent the last half an hour trying to get him into bed instead.

He looks exhausted by the time Robert questions him but he still nods his head slowly, raises a hand towards Robert’s face and rubs.

“Of course he will. He’s got us.” He says. 

Robert smiles faintly. “He didn’t want you or Cain knowing. I think he felt embarrassed.” 

Because he’s like me. He’s not a fighter. 

He doesn’t say it, but Aaron knows already and he sighs a little. 

“I don’t want him to feel like that. He doesn’t have to be scared that I’ll be disappointed.” Aaron admits, strokes over Robert’s arm and blinks out quickly. 

“I don’t think it’s like that. He’s always seen ya with a punching bag and me on a laptop. It’s what he knows.”

Aaron sighs, leans closer and smiles. “You know what I know? He gets all the brains from you.” 

Robert will take that.

::

Robert gets busy at work enough to not notice the way Seb slopes in a little later than usual over the next few weeks.

Aaron’s the one who notices the rip in his shirt and he very nearly loses his mind again but instead he listens to what Seb says.

Apparently they’ve moved on from teasing him, Christine in the year below snogged some bloke who isn’t her boyfriend so that’s the new news.

“Honest.” Seb says, but he’s his father’s son which also means he can lie and Aaron can believe it.

Aaron  _chooses_ to believe it. 

Up until he can’t.

Robert piles in with Jacob on his hip who’s screaming about wanting to be back at school with all his mates and not at home.

“Listen, you have to stay here with auntie Vic for a bit while me and daddy —“

That gets Aaron’s attention, he raises his head and settles Jacob whilst Vic comes bundling in.

“Is it Seb?” 

And it is.

He’s been fighting. 

Again.

::

Robert’s knee won’t stop bouncing, he’s got his fingers in his mouth and he’s biting down hard on his nails like Aaron does. He usually hates it.

“Will ya stop worrying.” Aaron says, a hand across Robert’s knee suddenly and desperately trying to act as if he’s not panicking inside.

“This is Seb.” Robert says, “Kind, considerate Seb.” He pushes out as Aaron looks at him. “And suddenly we get called in for him  _fightin_ ’, it doesn’t — it doesn’t make any —“

“He’s probably just trying to look after himself.” Aaron whispers. “As best he can anyway.”

“What if he gets suspended?” 

“He won’t. He’s — he’s a good kid.” Aaron says, strong, soft at the same time. “You know that.”

Robert gulps, he does know that and his form tutor says the same thing to them.

“I think we know what this is about.” Robert lifts himself in the seat and then sighs as he changes angle all nervously and waves a hand between himself and Aaron. “Us. This. Kids can be mean and —“

Ben pulls this face and reddens a little as he sighs. “I mean that’s probably a factor but, Seb’s been dealing with a lot of — some class mates have discovered that he’s related to Lachlan White.”

And that says it all. 

Proper pulls the rug from beneath them both.

It’s enough to make Aaron pull his head in his hands for a second and want to scream. Seb knows, he knows what sort of psycho his cousin was but knowing it and hearing about it every single day is a little different.

When Aaron looks up, Robert is looking at him helplessly and he has to stay strong for him.

“Well that’s — that explains all the fighting.” Aaron says steadily, tries to keep it together as Robert almost turns in on himself and blows out a breath. “He knows about him, it’s just — we didn’t expect this.”

“How could they do that?”

He thinks of Lachlan suddenly, he hasn’t thought about him for so long now but suddenly it’s all he can see.

Him hurting people again and again. 

“Robert.” Aaron has a hand on Robert’s shoulder but it does no good.

“They’re teasing him about something like that, it’s — it’s sick.”

“Rob.”

Aaron holds his breath as Robert looks up at him, tears in his eyes and everything. He’s not touchy feely when other people are around but he pulls Robert’s hands in his and squeezes tightly, strokes over his thumb over and over again.

“It’s going to be okay.” He says, soft eyes and helping as usual when Robert stresses himself into oblivion. Aaron clears his throat. “Are you going to suspend him or something? You know he’s a good kid.”

Ben doesn’t say anything, just shakes his head and then smiles. “Now we know what’s going on, we can make sure that the lads aren’t hanging around him too much at break. Seb’s already said he won’t be landing any more punches if they stay out of his way. Well, he said a lot of snarky things but I got what he meant.”

“Sounds like him.” Robert whispers, half a smile on his face now.

“Sounds like you more like.” Aaron reminds him cheekily, squeezing tighter and leans a little into Robert. “Can we see him?”

“Course. He’s right outside, I’ll go get him.”

::

They go across towards the park and Aaron doesn’t take his eyes off Seb as he holds a skateboard under his arm and has his tie halfway down his shirt.

He isn’t saying anything and he doesn’t even attempt to until Robert tells him to sit in between them the way he used to when he was a kid. 

“We know.” Robert says, clears his throat. “And if you want to talk about it then —“

Seb keeps his head down because he’s not a talker. He doesn’t talk about anything that involves a load of feelings and Robert’s always had to encourage him to. 

“Why didn’t you just tell us?” Aaron has a hand close to Seb’s back, it’s hovering slowly and then it falls down. “Mate.”

“They know about him.” Seb’s saying. “The — he killed mum and they just think he’s some psycho legend they can talk about.” 

And that’s what it’s about.

“Seb —“

“Don’t put that voice on dad.” Seb says, and suddenly he’s way older than Aaron was ever prepared for. “You can’t make this one just go away.” He whispers, because Aaron used to say he could make anything disappear for Seb if he wanted it to.

Especially the monsters under his bed.

“You wanna bet.” Aaron says, all grizzly and too much like Cain than he ever wants to admit. Robert frowns over at him a little and then he sighs. 

“What your dad means is, we’ve spoken to your form tutor, Ben, Mr Price, he doesn’t think you’re the one to blame.” Robert squeezes out a smile, “You’re not going to be in any trouble.”

“They won’t stop.” Seb’s got a cut on his eye and Aaron hates the way he can’t  _help_ but stare at it. He looks at Seb and sees Robert as well, sees all the years before, the way Robert used to get hurt like that. It makes him turn a little cold inside and he looks over at Robert who frowns a little.

“Trust me. They will. If they know what’s —“

“Is this the part where you mention Cain?” Seb practically cringes and Robert nearly laughs but then bites his lip instead. 

“No, I’m not your dad.” Robert says as he looks over at Aaron. “This is the part where I mention you  _talking_ to us about things more.” Seb keeps his head down. “And your teachers, that’s what they’re there for you know.”

Aaron looks at Robert, he’s such a dad that it makes his heart melt a little. Still.

“You know I’ll be up at that school the  _second_ any of them lay a finger on you again.” Robert already knows that he’s going to make sure Ben’s number is saved in his phone. He’ll have it in his notes just in case too. 

“And I’ll be waiting outside.” Aaron elbows Seb’s ribs and gets a laugh, only a small one but it’s enough.

“I wanted to — to be able to look after myself.” Seb says. “I’m not Jacob, he’s — he’s like you.” He looks at Aaron. “A proper Dingle, tough and —“

Seb has a complex that runs deeper than they thought.

“Mate —“

“You know how cool the Sugdens are?” Aaron jumps in, and he’s all animated as he goes through all these stories and Seb clearly hasn’t heard them for ages because he reacts to them. “And your dad? He’s the toughest bloke I know. In all the ways that matter.”

Robert turns pink. “Cheers.” He says, throat caught up in the moment and making him blink out any tears. 

He loves his husband.

“You get all his fight.” Aaron says. “You’re lucky for that.” He says and Seb nods out slowly.

“Yeah I do.”

“You also get his complete inability to talk about how he feels.”

“Says you.” Robert chastises.

“— but you have to let us know okay?” Aaron rubs a hand over Seb’s back, and the boy sighs slowly. 

“Fine. Can I skate for a bit?”

“Yeah, go on.” Robert slaps a hand against Seb’s knee and watches him disappear. Aaron rests his head against Robert’s shoulder and sighs.

“I think we handled that pretty well.” Aaron admits.

Robert’s heart thuds in his chest. Hopes they did.

::

Seb’s not getting teased all that much in school anymore when Aaron brings it up, but he still jumps at the chance.

“I’ve spoken to dad and he’s cool with it. Only if you listen carefully and treat this as a self defence thing.” Aaron’s already got the boxing gloves on and Jacob’s standing next to Seb with a pout on because he’s too little.

“Seriously?” Seb’s eyes are glistening green now and Aaron nods his head.

“Don’t make me regret it?” 

“Alright old man.” Seb pokes and Aaron gasps at being on the receiving end of an ‘old’ joke when he’s still married to Robert Sugden. 

He gets over it in time to show Seb the ropes, and he’s not as bad as he made out. He swings and hits and Zak would be proud. 

“That’s it!” Aaron says, feels pride ooze out of him as Seb ducks away from Aaron’s punch with plenty of time to spare. 

“Oh no.” It’s Robert by the door, Annie on his hip as he watches his son and Aaron completely in their element. “You sure you don’t want to still play with trains or something?” Because Seb was into all of that when he was a toddler, pushed away any toy car Aaron tried to show him and got scared when he saw Aaron punching the bag in the garage. 

“Nah.” Seb says, out of breath, all long and gangly and although he hasn’t got the body of a boxer, he’s definitely using what he’s got. He’s bright red by the time Robert comes a little closer and sees how sweaty he is. 

“Jesus, I don’t think them bullies will want to even look at you anymore.” Robert boosts Seb’s ego in a way he wishes his own dad would have. It brings a smile to his face as Seb ducks under the compliment.

“Me either. He’s got the swings and the bounce and everything.” Aaron goes on like Robert knows what he’s talking about and then Seb looks all smug.

“You hear that dad,  _rhythm_ , unlike you.” And they’re all thinking about Liv’s birthday and Robert having way too many and trying to drag Aaron on the dance floor.

Robert goes to speak and then Aaron’s got his hands all over Robert’s waist. “Nah, he’s still got rhythm, trust me.”

Seb pulls this dramatically disgusted face, looks exactly like Liv and decides he’s had enough. 

“Come Jake, Annie, you can hose me down in the garden with your water guns.” 

Annie slides down Robert in no time and disappears with Jacob as Seb hovers a little.

“I — thanks.” Seb says. “For not being angry with me.”

Aaron frowns. 

“For what? Those idiots making fun of you?”

Seb shrugs, and Robert sees himself suddenly. He sees this boy who can’t help but put himself down, think the worst of himself, be surprised by kindness. 

“I don’t know, just —“

“Being pretty amazing dads?” Aaron says and Seb says he’s taken it too far with a smile on his face.

“Well we love you. And if this helped then — then we’re happy okay?”

And Seb’s happy.

And they’ve also alone in the garage and Aaron’s particularly hot and sweaty and —

Robert never did thank him for showing Seb how to defend himself did he?

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked this and have the time, let me know, feedback is lovely!


End file.
